Tuesday, March 25, 2014

1). A great leader will stand up for his/her teammates... even when they may be wrong. A great leader will praise and support in public, and will correct and advise in private.

2). A great leader trusts you to do what you were hired to do. A great leader doesn't have the time nor the interest in micro-managing everything you do and everything you say.

3). A great leader knows lifting others up will be far more effective than tearing them down. A great leader offers a hand of assistance rather than a voice full of anger and disappointment.

4). A great leader makes you better and puts you in positions that align with your strengths. A great leader makes you better by modeling and asking great thought-provoking questions.

http://goo.gl/8JNd7z

5). A great leader knows there is always something more to learn. A great leader doesn't hesitate to say 'I don't know.' A great leader takes sharpening the saw very seriously.

6). A great leader knows he/she doesn't have to be right all the time. In fact, being wrong is a worthwhile and humbling experience great leaders don't fear. A great leader focuses on winning the war, not on winning the battle.

7). A great leader will never hold you back or prevent you from growing and developing. A great leader isn't afraid of the success of others; a great leader takes pride in the success of others.

8). A great leader isn't afraid to make a decision when a decision needs to be made. A great leader doesn't shy away from difficult situations, they capitalize on the opportunities that come out of difficult situations.

9). A great leader will take a chance if he/she believes the risk/reward ratio warrants it. A great leader is never reckless, but a great leader doesn't fear taking a chance.

10). A great leader is always looking for a person to replace them. A great leader isn't just worried about the organization at present, but also in the future and beyond. A great leader knows sustainable and long-term success are better than short-term and short-lived success.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

2). 'If you trust the validity and accuracy of your test/assessment, then you shouldn't have any problem with redos for full credit.' via @rickwormeli

3). 'Don't leave students out of the grading process. Involve students - they can - and should - play key roles in assessment and grading that promote achievement.' via @kenoc7

http://goo.gl/ccTQVX

4). 'Nothing of consequence would be lost by getting rid of timed tests. Few tasks in life - and very few tasks in scholarship - actually depend on being able to read passages or solve math problems rapidly.' via @howard_gardner_

5). No studies support the use of low grades or marks as punishments. Instead of prompting greater effort, low grades more often cause students to withdraw from learning.' via @tguskey

6). 'A kid who says school sucks and just give me an 'F' does not have the necessary maturity level to be in charge of making his/her own educational decisions.' via @rickwormeli

7). 'Averaging falls far short of providing an accurate description of what students have learned. . . . If the purpose of grading and reporting is to provide an accurate description of what students have learned, then averaging must be considered inadequate and inappropriate.' via @tguskey

8). 'When we refuse to accept an assignment late and give a zero instead, we undermine our content and say it has no value.' via @rickwormeli

9). 'Don’t include zeros in grade determination when evidence is missing or as punishment; use alternatives, such as reassessing to determine real level of achievement or use 'I' for Incomplete or Insufficient evidence.' via @kenoc7

10). 'If a kid never does any of the work you assign but does wonderfully well on your assessments, then it's time to evaluate the work you assign and the types of assessments you use.' via @rickwormeli

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately in regard to how professional development is conducted in schools.

Obviously I'm a huge advocate for ownership and self-directed learning because the traditional form of 'sit and get' and PD is done 'to' people rather than 'with' people has been over for quite some time now.

We know learning can and should occur beyond the walls of our own schools and the folks with whom we work on a daily basis.

We know there are experts and very knowledgeable people from all corners of the globe who are easily accessible at a few clicks of the mouse.

We know technology is and has been fundamentally changing the role of the educator and has strengthened the idea that learning is no longer limited to the four walls of a classroom.

http://goo.gl/TTVzzg

We know there is no excuse for someone not being able to 'sharpen their own saw' if they are interested in learning more about a particular concept... the monopoly on learning has been over for a while.

So, when is the choice of using technology no longer an option?

When is the choice of reaching out to educators from around the globe to collaborate no longer an option?

When is truly differentiating classroom instruction and meetings kids where they are no longer an option?

When is taking ownership of your own professional learning and growth not a duty and responsibility of the district, but an expectation of the individual?

Sure, we can be slow and methodical in our approach and create opportunities for these shifts to happen so people don't feel overwhelmed.

But then again, who gets to be the person who talks to the students in these schools and in these classes and says sorry but we want to take our time and not rush things...?

Final thought... we also know with certainty that mandates and directives are ineffective and create a 'compliance' type environment rather than a professional environment.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Take one of your learning objectives and/or goals and ask your students to align it with a real-world problem or concern. Allow and encourage your students to take something they know about and care about in the world, and provide them the opportunity to help make it better. Give learning context and relevance...

Speaking of relevance... who determines in your classroom what is 'relevant?' Each student in your class has a unique and different set of life experiences, so how are we recognizing and honoring their interests. Also, as these interests change, what's relevant also changes...

http://goo.gl/tEZMUC

If we are limiting learning to just the four walls of a classroom, then that is equivalent to buying a Lamborghini and saying you are only going to drive it in your driveway... #globalconnectedness

If we eliminated the traditional titles of 'student' and 'teacher' and replaced both with 'learner,' how would the atmosphere and culture in your classroom change?

Fast forward 5 years down the line... imagine if your former students were asked about their experience in your class. If they were asked what is one thing they did in your class that positively impacted and positively affected the world, would they have something to say?
How often are kids in your class given the opportunity to develop and work on strong and thoughtful questions. In other words, what is the ratio in your class of kids answering questions vs. kids asking questions leading to answers? The best answers come from the best questions...

Speaking of ratio... what is the ratio of consumption vs. creation in your class? How much do your students consume vs. how much do they create...?

Lastly, what makes the learning experience in your classroom standout? What makes the learning culture in your classroom unique and personalized to the needs of your students? What's your learning experience 'advantage?'

Agora: Collaborative Classroom

Disclaimer

"Life of an Educator" is the personal blog of Justin Tarte. Here I will share my thoughts on education in an effort to improve schools by helping Educators to reflect upon their current practices and beliefs. The opinions expressed here represent my own and may or may not represent those of my current employer.